Archive for June, 2013

I just love the way my day today played out. I woke up to a phone message from my old friend Billy. In the message he said he’s in town visiting his mother who had surgery and is now in rehab in Santa Monica and maybe we can get together later. I called and said we should have lunch. An hour later my husband and I were walking into our little village with Billy. I had called Donna and Wendy, two friends that I knew would love to reconnect with him. Donna managed to show up for a quick hug and kiss. We grabbed a picture to prove it. At lunch, we got caught up on all our gossip. Then we hung out in my house where Billy showered and changed before heading out to a party. We would leave before him to visit old friends of my dad’s for dinner. Beverly and Lou. My father would say about Lou and almost everyone else: “I know him 40 years.” And now I, too, have known Lou and Beverly for 40 years.

During the rest of the afternoon at my house, the phone would occasionally ring and it would be the same names as forty years ago. Here we are in 2013, and it’s the all the same people. I kept putting Billy on the phone with them. (more…)

On a recent day, I had lunch in the Palisades with two of my oldest friends, Benjy & David. Another old friend from high school is battling cancer, so we decided she might like to receive flowers. I found her address and we sent them. Later, they kept calling to tell me what a lovely idea that really was. I got texts. I got calls. It was nothing – except, all right, it might have been my idea — but we did it, and instead of that being that, they kept on giving me props. Also, our friend was very touched by the flowers, so, honestly, we were all rewarded, and that should have been the end of it. Only the boys, my boyz, thought they wanted to do something for me. Not sure why, but they did. I got a call one day from Ben.

“David and I were talking and we really want to do something for you.”

“Benny, the texts and calls have been enough. We all sent the flowers. I don’t need anything else.”

“No, too bad, we have an offer — but I know you very well, so I’m not sure you will go for it. Don’t worry, there will be many other offers, but hear this one first.”

“Okay, Benny.”

“The Rolling Stones. I have an extra ticket, Meilani is out of town.” Ben senses my excitement and fear all rolled into one big “WHAT?!!?”

“Look, I know you, Duke. You hate crowds, you hate noise, you hate to stay out late — so give it some thought. You have two days to think about it, but we REALLY want you to come.”

“Okay, Ben, two days. Let me think about it, because you know I REALLY want to go, but it’s way out of my comfort zone. Thank you so much for the offer and for understanding me so well.”

For Valentines Day I submitted a story about my wacky parents’ two marriages (both to each other) to the Huffington Post. It was posted, and for a few days hundreds of people clicked the ‘like’ button and wrote comments. It was really fun and rewarding. I was once an actress — we love applause. And the likes are like applause. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/fredrica-duke/opposites-attract_1_b_2729063.html

A few weeks later I get a call from someone with a familiar voice. The guy asks if I’m Fredrica Duke and he says he is calling from The Ricki Lake Show. I think it’s my friend Desi playing a prank on me, so I keep saying “Yes, Desi.” He stays with it asking if I am the Fredrica Duke who wrote the piece in the Huffington Post. I say “Yes, Desi,” in a more sarcastic, I-know-who-you-are kind of voice. The man stays calm and says his producer loved my story and would like to have me on the show. I say, “Uh-huh, sure.” Now the guy senses I’m not buying this at all because I clearly think I’m being punked. He offers to have me call him back. I say, “No, go on, tell me more.” He tells me that the story is very compelling and the show would like to have me on as a guest the following week. Would I consider it? (more…)